Conspiracy Theories for the Skeptic Gator

BY ANAYS HERNANDEZ

Discussing conspiracy theories, just like Gator Football, is a favorite pastime of students, due to the mysterious vibes emanating off each story and inevitable curiosity sparked within the mind. I personally love reading up on various theories during my free-time. I mean, who doesn’t want to know if aliens are actually real? Maybe Martians are just like us and go out to midtown on Thursdays knowing they have calculus at 9 a.m. the next morning.

Here are some of the most perplexing theories we have yet to
solve:

The Assassination of John F. Kennedy:

We all know that Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole individual
responsible for the murder of JFK; but, many individuals argue that the CIA was
behind the whole process. There have been rumors that the CIA covered up files
on Oswald that might have alerted authorities about his dangerous state and
plans of assassination. One of the FBI’s deputy directors, Cartha DeLoach,
stated that one of President Johnson’s advisors had told him that “he was now
convinced that there was a plot in connection with the JFK assassination,”
where the CIA was behind the murder. Others argue that Cuban exiles probably
participated in the murder plot since they were angry over the Kennedy’s failed
Bay of Pigs Invasion – in which the CIA trained Cubans to overthrow Castro. Due
to their anger, many believe that some befriended Oswald and aided him with
murder or were even contracted by the CIA to aid in Kennedy’s assassination.

Though this cryptic scheme is one full of different perspectives,
first year landscape architecture student Michael Sullivan has familial ties to
one of the JFK conspiracies. Sullivan’s grandfather knew Jack Ruby, the
individual who murdered Kennedy’s killer, Lee Harvey Oswald. Sullivan stated
that “the day after the [assassination], my dad and his siblings got two new
dogs that are the exact same breed as Jack Ruby’s dog.” His grandfather ended
up going to jail with Jack Ruby, where Ruby died of a pulmonary embolism.
Sullivan’s grandfather was also – coincidentally – a doctor, which led to the
belief that his grandfather might have caused Ruby’s death by injecting him
with chemicals. Sullivan’s father jokingly said that “my dad killed Jack Ruby
and betrayed him for the CIA.” Whether it be a result of undercover Cuban
agents or CIA cover-ups, John F. Kennedy’s assassination was an incredibly
tragic moment for United State’s history, shaping the government to what it is
today.

Aliens Living Amongst Us:

Many individuals believe that aliens exist and likely residing in
Area 51, an area in Nevada which the government closely controls. The nearest
you can get to Area 51 is about 26 miles away from it, any closer and you might
be at risk of getting shot down from one of the military officials monitoring
the area or “disappearing” from the face of Earth the next day. First year
student Madeleine Myers said that “it’s so statistically likely” that there are
aliens out there, living, breathing, and existing just like us. Government
officials have also implied that extraterrestrials are real. During an
exopolitics conference in Toronto, Paul Hellyer, former Minister of National
Defense for Canada said that “a document was prepared which concluded that at
least four species [of extraterrestrials] had been visiting Earth for thousands
of years,” and that “there are live ET’s on Earth, where at least two of them
work with the United States Government.” Prestigious scientists, government
leaders, and thousands of individuals believe that aliens do truly exist – with
proof. Think about it: how can we be the only living, advanced organisms in the
universe amongst billions of galaxies in the universe?

A Hollywood Moon Landing:

Due to many small details spotted during the televised
moon-landing event, many argue that the moon-landing was indeed, fake. During
the Cold War, various countries had been competing with each other to see which
nation would be the first to launch a man into space, prompting the Space Race.
Since there was a time-crunch with who would send someone off first, it is
believed that the United States faked the landing by creating a fake replica of
the moon, in order to win the race. The moon’s atmosphere does not allow for
air nor breezes to make a flag move; yet, the American flag clearly waved
during the televised event. In addition, on one of the astronaut’s helmets, a
slight figure that looks like a stage light, can be seen on the reflective
surface. The shadow on the moon should come solely from the sun; but, there are
various shadows seen, implying that the shadows may have come from stage lights
or people standing watching the false event occur. NASA has gone out to deny
that any of the theories are real. What is ironic is that one journalist asked
a NASA official if the tapes can be released again to the public, but he said
that the tapes have been destroyed. Why would one destroy an iconic, historical
relic? Though I believe that the moon-landing was real, there are definitely
some points which raise suspicions about the so-called genuine event.

Conspiracy theories can be true to some extent, but all things
considered, they are just fun pieces of information to talk about and ponder
upon. After all, who knows if an alien might be watching you while you are
reading this article?